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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30129429">the scarlet woman</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iolaire02/pseuds/Iolaire02'>Iolaire02</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>stardust [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Domestic, F/M, Fluff, Gen, No Plot/Plotless, Not Beta Read, but when is any of my stuff beta read? never!, kind of</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 03:00:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,520</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30129429</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iolaire02/pseuds/Iolaire02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Years after Vernon helps Lily, she shows up on his doorstep to thank him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Regulus Black/Lily Evans Potter - mentioned, Vernon Dursley/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>stardust [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2217429</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the scarlet woman</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Lily is not a scarlet woman, it's a reference to her hair because I think I'm clever.</p><p>This is the sequel to "i will still be here (stargazing)" that I didn't intend to write, but here we are.</p><p>Enjoy, and let me know what you think!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was a woman walking down the street. At least, it looked like there was a woman walking down the street, but it was rare to see a head capped with such a brilliant shade of red, and she walked like a flame flickered: graceful, curling movements that made one forget that danger sometimes disguised itself behind beautiful things.</p><p>Of course, Vivian did not think of such things. She lived in a peaceful little locale, where quaint houses built from weathered stones and arching wooden beams lay in regular intervals, their windows looking out at the street on one side and the forest on the other. It was a secluded little village, though not so secluded that Vernon had any sort of difficulty in getting to work; and there was a primary school close enough that Vivian could walk there to drop Jasmine off in the mornings and again to pick her up in the afternoons. Besides the little houses were a variety of shops that lined the streets, and they sold everything the Dursleys could possibly need.</p><p>But it was the sort of place that one had to go looking for. Vivian had lived in the Hollow all her life and had never met a single person who had ended up there unintentionally – it was hard to end up in the middle of nowhere without meaning to, after all.</p><p>But it was as uncommon for a person to end up in the Hollow by mistake as it was for a person to end up there because they meant to be there. Very few came, and fewer left once they’d arrived, and so it was unusual for Vivian to catch sight of someone she didn’t recognize walking down the streets.</p><p>It had just stopped raining, and the flaming woman was one of two people out. Even Jazzy, who adored digging for worms while the earth was still wet, was still indoors; Vivian thought she might be playing with one of her dolls, or reading one of the books that Vernon had borrowed the other day. The other person out, Vivian noticed, was quite small – likely smaller than her Jazzy was – and was skipping alongside the red-head, their hands tightly clasped.</p><p>Vivian wondered idly where the two were headed, but they were such a long way down the road that it was impossible to tell, and she couldn’t stay and watch forever. Vernon would be home soon, tired from another long day at work, and Vivian always liked to have supper on the table up by the time he’d finished perusing the paper and sipping at his whiskey.</p><p>Her parents had always told her that alcohol destroyed people; indeed, it had made her mother’s childhood quite harsh, and her father was from a church that didn’t condone drinking of any sort. She had believed them right up until she met Vernon. Vernon had two fingers of whiskey before dinner every weeknight, and a glass of wine with supper on weekends. Vivian had never seen him indulge past that, though she thought that he had more reason than most to do so. He was, after all, a bereavement counsellor, and Vivian found it very likely that the people who came to him for help made him just as miserable as they were.</p><p>He was very good at keeping his work away from home, though, and he always made certain to take off weekends so that he had a day or two to recuperate. During the summer, and on the balmiest autumn afternoons, he always took Vivian and Jasmine out for a picnic; they spent the chilliest months indoors playing games or watching the telly, and every now and then they would go out to watch a new film.</p><p>Vivian always found herself amazed by his strength. He had been counselling since before she met him, and it never seemed to wear on him any more than any other job might. She liked to think that she and Jazzy had something to do with his determination to keep his work and home life separate, but she knew that they had very little to do with it at all. It was just the sort of man Vernon was: hardworking and determined and patient and doting, depending entirely on the situation.</p><p>She tried to dote on him, too, and had taught Jazzy to appreciate the way that her father balanced work and family so effortlessly. Their family, Vivian knew, was happier than most. They lived off a modest income, and they loved each other, and she and Vernon had managed to raise a charming, well-behaved daughter, for all that Jazzy had been a terror during her formative years.</p><p>The low purr of an automobile pulling into the driveway nudged Vivian into action. She wandered into the parlour and over to Vernon’s recliner, which rested at an angle beside the fireplace. It was warm enough out that she hadn’t needed to light one today; in fact, she’d left the windows open for the majority of the day, though she’d closed them once it started drizzling.</p><p>With a practiced hand, she poured Vernon’s whiskey and capped it again as the front door opened and clicked shut. A moment later, Vernon was shuffling into the parlour in his house slippers, with the paper under his arm.</p><p>“How was your day, dear?” Vivian asked, as she always did, and waited for Vernon to settle comfortably in his recliner before leaning over to kiss the corner of his mouth.</p><p>Vernon offered her a smile that was no less sincere for the exhaustion that lingered behind it. “As tiring and fulfilling as usual, my love. Has Jazzy been behaving herself?”</p><p>Vivian nodded. “She’s been in her room for a bit because of the rain. I’m sure she’ll be out soon; I’m just finishing up dinner.”</p><p>“I’m glad to hear she’s settling down a bit. Did you go out at all today?”</p><p>“Oh, yes. I visited Emmy earlier this afternoon, after I finished my shift at the nursery. Her little boy is nearly as tall as Jazzy, now, and very charming.”</p><p>“How is Emmy? And Sam?” Vernon asked curiously. It had been a while since he’d gone with Vivian to visit her sister; but Emmy had never much liked Vernon, and Vivian suspected it was because her own husband had wandered off a few years back.</p><p>“She’s doing well. She’s had to pick up a few more shifts at the hospital lately because her landlord has upped her rent again, but she’s got a new boyfriend – Charles – who Sam is fond of. I met him today, and he seems quite nice. A bit dull, and not interested in much besides sales, but very pleasant. And you know they say children are good judges of character, so he must be alright. Sam is really quite taken with him, you know.”</p><p>“Well, I’m glad to hear they’re doing well,” Vernon smiled fondly. “Do you think Emmy will be up for another visit soon? It’s been nearly a month. Surely she’s had enough time to recover from our last get together by now.”</p><p>Vivian laughed. “I’ll ask her tomorrow. I’ve made plans to see her while Jazzy’s in school.”</p><p>Vernon opened his mouth to say something in reply, but at that very moment a knock came at the door. He arched an eyebrow instead. “Are we expecting visitors?”</p><p>She frowned. “I don’t think so. I’ll go and see who it is.”</p><p>“I’ll check on supper, then,” Vernon said agreeably, pushed himself out of his seat, and made his way into the kitchen.</p><p>Vivian smiled softly before heading for the door. On the other side, standing side by side in the fading light, were the flaming woman and the little boy who had been walking beside her.</p><p>“Good evening,” Vivian said, perplexed.</p><p>“I’m sorry to disturb you,” the woman said, her lips quirking. She was quite pretty, Vivian noticed in a distant part of her mind: her hair was as red as the wine Vernon liked to drink on the weekends, and her eyes were very green; she had freckles scattered across her face, and they seemed just as dainty as the rest of her. “I was wondering if Vernon was available to talk?”</p><p>“Who is it, darling?” Vernon asked from behind Vivian, clearly curious about who was at their door at dinnertime.</p><p>“Hello, Vernon,” the woman said, looking apologetically at Vivian, who wondered how she knew her husband.</p><p>“Lily?” he asked.</p><p>Lily grinned at him. “I didn’t think you’d remember me.”</p><p>“Well of course I do,” Vernon said, and then, to Vivian: “This is Lily Evans. She was Petunia’s younger sister.”</p><p>“Lily Black, now,” Lily nodded.</p><p>“Oh,” Vivian murmured, recognition flooding her. Vernon had told her about Petunia soon after they’d met. He hadn’t said much about Lily, but she supposed that made sense. After all, Vernon had dated Petunia, not Lily. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Vivian.”</p><p>Lily stuck out her free hand, and her grin widened, pressing dimples into her cheeks. “Vernon’s wife, I presume?” she asked, nodding at the rings on Vivian’s finger.</p><p>“Going on eight years, now,” Vivian agreed.</p><p>“I’m glad,” Lily told her softly. “And I’m glad you found someone.”</p><p>Vernon nodded. “Would you like to come in?”</p><p>“You don’t mind?” Lily wondered. “I was only dropping by to thank you.”</p><p>Vernon’s smile slipped for a moment before it was back. “Yes, Lily. Come in. You can meet our Jazzy, and you can tell us what you’ve been up to since I saw you last.”</p><p>Lily still looked uncertain until Vivian pulled her forward into the house. “Come join us for dinner,” she suggested, and motioned down at the little boy standing beside Lily. “I’m sure he could do with something to eat; I saw you two walking down the street earlier, and I’m sure he’d like to take the time to rest his feet.”</p><p>“Alright, thank you,” Lily agreed. “We would really appreciate that, wouldn’t we, Saiph?”</p><p>The little boy nodded, offering Vivian and Vernon a cherubic smile that showed the same dimples Lily had.</p><p>“He’s adorable,” Vivian told Lily. “Yours?”</p><p>“Thank you. Yes.” Lily ruffled Saiph’s dark curls before following Vernon further into the house. “Though you couldn’t tell if it wasn’t for the eyes. He looks like his father in every other way.”</p><p>“How long have you been married?” Vernon asked curiously; Vivian headed up the stairs to tell Jasmine that dinner is ready, thankful that their house was small enough that she could still hear the conversation going on below.</p><p>“Five years; Regulus and I married on December thirty-first, back in eighty. We had Saiph in eighty-one, and he’s grown up so fast.”</p><p>“Our daughter is turning six next week,” Vernon offered.</p><p>“Time flies, doesn’t it?” Lily laughed. “Is Jazzy short for Jasmine?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Vivian had always found it mildly irritating when Vernon answered two questions with a single word.</p><p>“It’s a beautiful name.”</p><p>“We thought so. What’s the story behind Saiph’s name?”</p><p>“Well,” Lily began as Vivian headed back down the stairs, Jazzy in tow, “Regulus’ family has some sort of tradition where they name their children after stars. Saiph is one of the stars in the Orion constellation.”</p><p>“What an interesting idea,” Vivian interjected, sliding into one of the seats at the table and putting food on a plate for herself and Jasmine.</p><p>“It is that,” Lily agreed cheerfully, pushing Saiph’s chair closer to the table so that he could reach his plate.</p><p>Vivian noticed that Saiph was an unusually quiet child and wondered why that was the case. In her experience, all children were rowdy at his age, even when they were eating.</p><p>“He’s always like this after we visit Walburga. My mother-in-law,” she clarified. “She doesn’t like me much, but she adores Saiph, and so she insists that we visit at least once a month.”</p><p>“Why doesn’t she like you?” Vivian asked. Lily seemed a very likeable person to her.</p><p>Lily’s lips twisted into a faint moue of distaste, and she looked down at her plate. “She’s angry at me for marrying Regulus. But she’s always angry at someone for something.”</p><p>Vivian thought there was probably more to the story than Lily was saying, but it wasn’t her business to pry, and especially not when Lily seemed so reluctant to expound upon the topic.</p><p>They chatted for a little while longer, touching upon a variety of topics. At some point, Vivian noticed that Saiph and Jazzy had started whispering to each other, and they rushed off to Jazzy’s room the moment they were excused.</p><p>“I know you don’t really want to hear it,” Lily told Vernon as she was putting on her raincoat; Vivian helped Saiph into his, and then leaned against the wall to see what Lily would say next. “But I really did come here to thank you. What you did for me after Petunia and Mum and Dad died… it saved my life. Really. And it kept saving me, in the years after. You’re really good at helping people when they’re so far gone that they don’t even realize they need it.”</p><p>Vernon looked away, embarrassed, but Vivian felt as though all the pieces were coming together. Vernon had told her almost everything about himself, including the fact that he had wanted to marry Petunia once, but he had never told her how he’d known that he wanted to do counselling. With Lily there in front of her, though, Vivian knew that it had been Lily who had inspired Vernon. Lily’s grief had been what Vernon needed to find what he loved.</p><p>“You’re welcome,” Vernon finally sighed. “But I want you to know that you are the reason I have the job and the family I have. So, thank you, too.”</p><p>Lily tilted her head and slipped her hand into Saiph’s. “It was good to see you again. And good to meet you. We should do this again, sometime. And maybe Regulus and I could host, once in a while?”</p><p>Vivian and Vernon shared a glance, and Vivian turned to smile at her. “Any time you’d like, Lily.”</p><p>Matching grins looked back at her before Lily and Saiph let themselves out. Vivian watched them go, Vernon beside her. Even in the dark, Lily’s hair seemed to catch fire before she finally faded out of sight.</p>
<hr/><p>“I get it, now,” Vivian said later that night. She turned in the bed to face Vernon, who had been breathing steadily for a while now, though she knew he wasn’t asleep yet.</p><p>“What?” he asked groggily.</p><p>“I get why you do what you do. You help them save themselves because you hope that they’ll all end up like Lily did. You hope they’ll be able to end up like you did.”</p><p>“I help them because I’m able to,” Vernon said simply.</p><p>Vivian smiled into the darkness though she knew he couldn’t see it. “I love you,” she told him, and kissed him on the corner of his mouth, just like she always did.</p><p>“I love you too,” he always, always, always replied.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Me: I'm all done writing HP fics.</p><p>Also me: writes a sequel for the only HP fic I have that doesn't need it.</p><p>Anyways, I hope you liked it. I also hope that Vivian wasn't incredibly flat and boring, so if you thought she was <em>please</em> let me know so that I can do better next time.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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